Travelers planning to travel between Delhi and Mumbai ahead of the Raksha Bandhan festival are facing significant disruptions as trains on this route are fully booked through August 27, 2026. Official reports confirmed as of August 24 indicate that at least 18 major trains on this corridor have reached 'regret' (no room) status, with waiting lists closed for new bookings. The situation has been further compounded by new regulations regarding online waiting list tickets. To manage this massive surge in passenger demand, Indian Railways has stepped in to help commuters reach their destinations safely and comfortably. Here are the key highlights of the special arrangements: At least 18 major trains on the Delhi-Mumbai route have hit 'regret' status with waiting lists closed through August 27, 2026. Indian Railways is operating special festival services through Northern Railway and West Central Railway zones. West Central Railway has launched 47 special trains starting August 23, while Northern Railway has introduced various localized and inter-state special services.
The West Central Railway began operating
47 Raksha Bandhan special trains on August 23, covering key routes such as Kota-Delhi, Sogaria-Mathura, Sogaria-Jabalpur, Bhopal-Rewa, and Jabalpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin. Specific operations include the
09803 Kota-Hazrat Nizamuddin special, running on August 22, 24, and 26, and the
02921 Sogaria-Mathura special, which runs from
August 24 to August 30, 2026.
Additionally, Northern Railway has announced various special services from Delhi and surrounding stations. These include trains between
Panipat-Delhi Junction-Ambala Cantt and
Ambala Cantt-Panipat-Ambala Cantt scheduled for
August 27 and 28, as well as
Shamli-Delhi Shahdara services on the same dates.
Three new special trains have been introduced to connect Delhi with Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, Mathura, and Khajuraho. Furthermore, multiple special trains will operate between
Subedarganj and Shakur Basti from August 25 through August 31. CPRO Dr. Shivam Sharma stated that the railways are actively operating special trains and advised passengers to book reservations on these services rather than relying on regular trains. Railway officials have urged passengers to verify the status of their tickets and train timings via official websites and social media channels prior to departure.
